No Matter How Long the Winter, Spring is Sure to Follow

“Your body is away from me,
but there is a window open
from my heart to yours.”
― Rumi

What a whirlwind of events, some life-changing, that can unfold in a year’s time. I have started to catch up on some fellow farmers' blogs and it seems I'm in good company with what the past year laid at some of our feet. It seems 2013 was a year of change and challenges - both welcome and some not so welcome - for many in the small farming world.

This weekend last year I was attending our state’s annual organic farmer’s conference with the love of my life and playin in the dirt partner. We listened to various speakers, volunteered, visited with colleagues and enjoyed some R&R. It’s great (and I think considered wise), to have someone you can count on in a united and strong partnership when running a homestead, farming or ranching on a small, organic scale. I’m not saying it can’t be done alone, I've done it on and off for several years mostly on my own.  But I must say for one thing, it sure is a lot more fun to have 4 hands in the dirt instead of just two, and makes the brainstorming and often, motivation to get things done, stronger. 

I share this rare highly personal post as a kind of PSA for those considering venturing out to start farming on their own. A solo career is one thing, but a bit of a challenging life can be in store if you do this on your own without a close knit circle of good, supportive friends on this special journey. They can be a lifeline, and have been one for me, especially if you’re not close to a town, but even if you are, I have found farming can be pretty isolating even if you have CSA, markets and such. They say many farmers are not always a people person, but even the most introverted often have someone besides the family cow or dog to commune with. I know the neighbors around here must think I'm a lunatic watching me talk, seemingly to myself, in the gardens. Though, I've always enjoyed a good chat with Nature.  ;)

Often you find others balancing out strengths and weaknesses, accounting, marketing, building stuff, sharing surplus seeds, seedlings, produce, trading unique experiences, expertise and equipment, favors at each others places and when there is a special someone, it's always nice for warming fingers and each others hearts along the way. It can really enhance your already full and pleasant life in a beautiful way to have a companion that understands the sorts of things that come with this lifestyle and make one even happier knowing you have someone by your side to celebrate the victories with, and share in the challenges that we know come in life. Challenges that come much more so often it seems, in this life where Nature provides plenty of her own.  At least, that was my experience.

To venture out in the world of any small business on one’s own is admirable, and as a woman I've been hailed as everything from heroine to crazy as I first opened an organic garden center and then started a farm from the ground up. But I will honestly say, it was never my dream or intention to work crops and critters all day and come home to a table set for one. Come to think of it, it was never my intention to do much of what I do today. Funny how some things seem to just unfold and develop into more than we planned. I try to make the most and best of what life offers.

As a person who often sees entrepreneurial opportunities, this investment property became a farm and this happy little native plant landscape designer/installer and garden center owner became a farmer out of the desire to see southeast Dallas County provided with a reliable, affordable and accessible source of clean, fresh produce. Since I already owned the land, that food source could also come with the experience of a small, local farm where the area's residents could see and learn how to grow their own food, too - and all just steps from their front door. It just made lots of sense to share this place with others. 

“It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone... but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.”
― Kahlil Gibran

I hadn't considered how difficult it might be if I suddenly found myself waist deep in this endeavor alone. I’d been fortunate to have the support of family and a few friends when I "retired" from corporate America and broke out on my own; not to mention equally as excited CSA workshare members and volunteers once I broke ground on the farm itself. Even with that, it was a struggle at times in between volunteers showing up and such, for sure. But things and plans were coming together finally and my ideas for turning this former horse boarding facility into an educational ground for new aspiring farmers needing land and experienced help, were only enhanced when someone came along and shared in my passion for playing in the dirt and offering to help. It was a pretty incredible time.

Offering a smiling face and encouraging, loving words to your partner after they lose most of a crop of melons to grasshoppers or having a tender hand to wipe your own tears after losing livestock to a freak accident, can go a long way to soften the blows of the discouragement and stress that can come with homesteading and farming's inherent risks. Like a shelter from the storm. You know you're not alone, even if they're not there all the time.

Putting up the yurt

Last summer my farm was chosen by a wonderful young newlywed couple who were long time CSA members and had become good friends of mine, to set up a temporary educational exhibit of an off-grid, sustainable homestead area to enhance existing farm tours. This also meant I’d have some relief from the daily animal chores that can sometimes dampen plans or at least, cause dawn and dusk to become like curfews to feed and stave off predators. I was really looking forward to the possibilities and production on both my beloved's farm and mine as we’d be able to enjoy and take advantage of this new-found flexibility. Getting up with the cool of the day, without missing an hour or two to chores and commuting the 17 miles between us, meant more accomplished before the daily heat set in.

You see, in North Texas, summertime gardening slows down as the heat bears down, and this is when building projects, repairs, hot sticky afternoons giving way to siestas and cheap movies and then working again after dinner till dark, become part of the agenda. Having a partner to share these days with makes lighter of the work and the idle time.

But, instead of the super productive summer together that I had envisioned, suddenly I found myself on my own, moving a bit slower than my usual spunky self. In the face of constant stress and challenges by the county for toxic assaults of mosquito abatement, the pending new farm safety regulations that threatened to really put a damper on things and the farm bill crazies, (which they still haven’t figured out), nursing a painful, and now chronic, case of tendinitis in my elbow, the piles of paperwork I normally catch up on in the summer, (all the while keeping the farm's summer crops on a lifeline and staving off grasshoppers at the remote property I was using while laying some of my land fallow for the fall); without the source of someone who often deflected some of the assaults from the outside world with that wonderful sense of humor and other distractions, it was a long "off" season, to say the least. But, you just do your best. 

Eden's was voted BEST CSA in a tie with Comeback Creek

The summer was not without it’s victories though, as I turned the frustration of my loss into the tenacity of a bulldog and after a fight with the bank to refi the farm, I secured a much more favorable interest rate and secured the appropriate and legal agricultural property tax rate for the farm – finally, that only took 2 years too many due to red tape and lack of consistent legislation. I managed to lower my monthly liabilities dramatically, a huge load off of my shoulders, and that of committed CSA members who stood by me through the ordeal.

I also managed to plow through income taxes and the application from the USDA so the farm can accept peoples' Lone Star SNAP cards this spring at Market Day – making another step closer, the reality of one of my original missions of affordable, clean food for some of my less fortunate neighbors – as soon as the paperwork comes back that is…. You know how fast the government can move.

But the fall brought much colder and wetter than normal conditions, putting a hamper on what is normally one of our best times to farm and a sure-fire mood elevator coming out of a hot, dry summer season that can depress even the happiest person; therefore keeping my mood still ever-challenged. With the many below freezing streaks of days that bombarded us so early on, grasshoppers were finally starting to die off, but so too, were tender seedlings that should have become mid winter season sales for restaurants and special seasonal markets and my CSA family’s pick your own weeks.

WWOOFer Preston and CSA Member Chris Helped Me Build a New Animal Shelter

With a fixed water pipe in my shop/interns' quarters and the help of some friendly media coverage, my farm intern program got a shot in the arm. (I'm still searching for the right couple!) I re-registered with WWOOF USA, both bringing a flurry of young, eager helpers applying to the farm for some experience and training. It was nice to have fresh voices and faces to break the monotony of the off-season in late fall.

I am your wildflower, Hold me close to your breast, Nourish and plant my seed Make a tea of me and heal yourself, Or throw me into a fire to keep you warm, I'm yours To do with as you please. Saleem

Cold, wet and tired of the crazy fall and winter weather this year brought, I was often reminded of less than pleasant winter memories of my younger days up north in the frozen tundra known as Chicago - from which I fled over 20 years ago to escape the long, harsh winters. At this point, spring with all of her promise of new beginnings, fresh starts and restored life to things seemingly dead – could come none too soon to this farm girl's now suddenly emptier world. It’s always been my favorite season anyway – this year, I hoped it would hold special rewards. Year of the horse - anything goes.

Recently I attended a one day lecture by farmer and acclaimed author/speaker Joel Salatin. I’d heard him speak about 3 other times over the years, but I was invited especially to attend and so I thought I would accept the invite and go. I might hear something new this time anyway – his lectures are very thorough, yet fast paced. He went over the history of his farm and how it came to be with wonderful pictures and stories of how he directs the ballet of farm animals in the pasture with nature’s approval and her many generations of examples to follow. He spoke highly and strongly of family and the importance of choosing a partner who can live frugally and flexibly to a young man starting out asking for advice; a thought I'm echoing here. It’s not often two people meet with such similar interests and the patience and understanding of what can at times be a demanding way of making a living. At least, it’s not been my experience and I’ve been at this 11 years!

"In friendship or in love, the two side by side raise hands together to find what one cannot reach alone.”
― Kahlil Gibran

Yet through his words and testimonies I was reminded of how very fortunate I am to be hand in hand daily with perhaps the greatest partner of all – Nature – in all of its many forms. Male, female, juvenile and mature all at once. Plants, animals, insects, weather, ponds, compost piles, seeds and weeds – nature is multi-functional. Quite the humorist, very understanding and always forgiving of our missteps and shortcomings. While not a day goes by that I don't think fondly of the memories made and hope for restoring that shared life; Nature may very well be my new best friend and the best role model for life I could have. Hope springs eternal, or so they say....

Marie

Eat Your Food - Naturally!

For the Love of Beans and Squash

Frost Tender Cucuzza

This time of the year always makes me a little sad. I have to walk up and down the rows of happily growing crops deciding the fate of each one; saying "thank you" to those who have given us much over the season but also bid farewell to those summer crops I've lovingly tended, coaxed along and protected for months on end, but that will not be long for the farm once the temps dip below freezing. 

I wish I could save them all and let them produce perpetually, but that is just not practical. Not in North Texas anyway.  But alas, it happens every year. I guess it's a little like the tree's green leaves turning their true autumn colors and then dying and falling to the ground. You have to learn to let things go and move on to the next season. 

(Or, you can dig things up out of the ground, pot them, and replant them in the hoop house - like we did with the basil! Sometimes, where there’s a will, there’s a way! Diligence and some TLC can pay off. We should have pesto for Christmas, my birthday and Valentines Day!)

When it comes to weather in the fall, you never can tell for sure what to expect. But by “listening” to your instincts, watching the sky, animals and the calendar, as well as talking amongst veteran farmers, you can usually predict most things at least as well as the official forecasters. Some nights, you can go outside and feel whether or not the air is crisp and clear enough to frost things, but it's good to have several hours heads up from the computers these days. The idea is to trap in the warmth of the sun under the frost cloth, so waiting till it's dark - isn't usually a good idea.

Last night, as I walked through the gardens for the last time re-tucking things here and there, it felt like a killing frost was imminent for sure, and all of the forecasters had long confirmed that an arctic blast was to arrive by dawn. This time, they got the forecast right. And this freeze is right in line with our average first killing frost date of mid November here in USDA hardiness zone 8a. The dogs', barn cat and horses' coats had already begun thickening, the leaves are changing. It was time.

Last year we had a pretty early and unexpected frost that took out some things before their time. It had caught most of North Texas farmers and gardeners off guard. I wasn't alone. That's just one of the ways Nature keeps us in check I think. Dropping from 80F to a frost in a matter of hours; you're probably going to lose a few crops. And we did. Pretty as the frost looks on that chard below, as soon as it thawed out, the plants and the leaves turned to mush. They just didn't have time to harden off before that first frost last year.

 

Frost Sure Looks Pretty - But Proved to be Lethal This Time

A FROST OF THE PAST

My first year trying to grow fall tomatoes, I actually stumbled upon the way to defy an upcoming freeze by unwittingly following the ways of great Four-Season farmer Eliot Coleman with my double covering experiment. After I had tucked them all in that night, talking with a former classmate and fellow farmer from IL, my last minute plan was validated and that indeed I had done exactly what I should have done to keep them safe! I'm still amazed at how well this worked given I had not yet read up on it to know what I was doing. Beginner's luck! I had actually covered the plants with plastic earlier in the season, trying to heat things up since there had been such a cloudy stretch and they wouldn't ripen. Why I had tucked frost cloth in there at the same time I put plastic over the hoops, must have been some indigenous grower instinct in me, because it was there staring at me as I pondered the fate of those green tomatoes in the face of a deep freeze I feared I lose them to. I’d been trying to get them to ripen for weeks, and the light bulb went off in my head. I pulled that frost cloth up and over those plants under the plastic that night, crossed my fingers, said a prayer and it worked! I had no idea how much difference the double layer would make. I've used that technique once more and had the same results - and it was on a cloudy day, without much solar heat to trap in.

LOTS TO DO

This year, we were warned and prepared but I had so many rows of warm season things still producing, on two properties, it was going to be a monumental task to cover it all, on top of the other pre-freeze preparations that come normally on a farm. I was really glad to have the help of my 2 farm residents and our part time intern this year after usually running around doing it all on my own for the most part. I remember one year calling on a CSA work share member in the neighborhood to come out and help me wrestle frost cloth. People tend to get a better respect for their food once they've experienced something like that.

But even with the help, the list was long and would take time; we'd secure frost cloth over our Thanksgiving winter squash, all 5 rows of them, the trellised beans and still producing cucuzza, and then some summer squash plants, another 5 or so rows. We even had a row with some tomato plants we'd cover that were finally starting to show signs of life - and a handful of tomatoes. Time allowing, we'd dig up our basil and pick okra and melons. Drawing extra water, then disconnecting the water hoses, covering faucets and putting out extra hay for the animals is on the list, too, of course. My Great Pyrenees LGD's don't come in on cold nights, they love it out there. As long as they have a warm pile of hay to snuggle up in and a wind block, they're fine. They seem to live for winter. And Smoke, our part Icelandic ewe, is quite at home in our brief stints with winter weather. I wish I had a video of her running laps around her "yard" the morning of the first freeze! I was cracking up and the dogs thought she'd surely lost her mind. Ah, life on the farm.... 

Running around like a nut in the cold - Smokey, our resident ewe

I started the undertaking of the prep for the freeze on Monday at the satellite farm location, when it was nice, warm and calm out. It's about 30 miles down the road where I am using some land at a retired farmer friend's place, to make up for about an acre on my urban farm that is currently over-seeded with cover crops for the winter, in order to build precious organic matter. 

The farm owner asked me, somewhat sheepishly, "Are we still going to have beans after Tuesday?" I assured her I was going to do whatever I could to be sure she got some of those yummy green beans she loved so much. She can find green beans on the vine when no one else can, she claims. She'd already sampled a few and was looking forward to picking a pot-full soon! I hated to let her down, and I would have our CSA work share member who works that farm, check on things Tuesday afternoon after the front was to have blown through with high winds, just to be sure everything stayed pinned down. (All was well she reported - so it looks like beans should be on the menu next week. My friend is thrilled.) 

Our farm intern met me back at our urban location later Monday afternoon, and we got most everything else covered up just as the sun started to set. We took a quick dinner break and we finished up the covering process in the dark. It was a bit of a challenge, especially when I lost my phone in the rambles of squash vines, but it was still fairly warm out. We worked by the light of the moon and clear sky, pooped as 10PM approached, but, we agreed it was better to hit the hay exhausted, than to fight the frost cloth and plastic in the morning when there was rain, wind and the cold front predicted to blow in. "I come out here to work!", he said. And work we did. We got it all tucked in and pinned down. We thought.  

But early Tuesday morning the cold front had blown through with strong winds and whipped off much of our work on the trellis and a few rows came a bit loose due to wet soils not holding the pins in very well. We had to pull an “all hands on deck” shift to get things back under control to try to keep the squash and beans from shivering later that night. (Squash and beans do shiver, you know.) Our farm residents rolled up their sleeves and we all got to work.

This year is the first year we’ve had to cover an actively growing trellis, so none of us was exactly sure how we were going to tackle it, but we devised an idea and collectively, we managed to execute the vision. So between the 4 of us, we re-secured the flapping plastic, now in 35 mph wind gusts, (but thankfully no rain), and re-pinned frost cloth that had whipped off of the sprawling winter squash vines that were bursting at the seams of the cloth's edges. We were determined to keep that squash warm!  

Then, we did what any good farmer does – we threw dirt on it! To help hold the edges in place, we buried them with shovels full of sand. What fun it is to clear that off, but we had little choice in the face of time and wind.

Our Big Trellis Experiment - Fail

The rest of the tasks were completed before dark that night and I tucked in the animals, went inside and made some hot cocoa, cracked open a new farming book and hoped for the best. Our intern got the rest of his time off this week as there wouldn’t be much to do with everything covered for two days. Baking was on my agenda. The next morning, on Thursday, as soon as it got above freezing, (they were predicting 30F for a low and we hit 31), I’d be peeling off the plastic and shade cloth to free everything for the 80F we're expecting on Sunday. Got to love North Texas weather! 

Win some and lose some. 

I’m happy to report that everything we did, held in place overnight when it really counted; we had hit 28F briefly, but had held steady at 29F for about an hour or so in the wee hours on Wednesday morning and that's a killing frost for sure. Sadly, the plants under the trellis were not sufficiently protected though, and most of the leaves of the beans and cucuzza squash burned and many of the vines turned to mush. A few plants may have made it, but most did not. The snow peas, however, are thriving under there on the same trellis; we’ll plant more of them to enjoy this spring. And, we go back to the drawing board on trellis freeze protection for beans. I already have an idea for how to do it next year.....

There were lots of blooms on those bean vines and equally as many little cucuzza squash coming on so I'm really sad we lost them as we'd have had a bumper crop when it all came in. The winter squash made it though, and they are oh so close to being ready. Big red warty thing, buttercup and spaghetti squash are all looking good. Plus, a few rows of summer squash vines are fine and producing, too. So, we're in good shape, just not the abundance we'd hoped for. I hope Wendy's beans made it out at the country farm. I'll find out later when the report comes in.

Shorter autumn days mean things take longer than the “days to harvest” listed on seed packets, but we're shooting for 2 more weeks till they're all ready, which is right on time for what we planned - Thanksgiving dinner. And with any luck, we may have some summer squash, cucumbers for pickling and a stray tomato or two for December, too.

Here in north Texas we are able to start our fall season with another round of warm season crops. But it's always a risk and you can’t count on any of them after Halloween, unless you've got a way to protect them. Coming out of the grasshopper invasion from Mars out in the country this summer, we had plenty of frost cloth to do the job - a lot of it was just at the wrong farm and had to be rolled up and moved - and of course it was wet and heavy. But even though we've got it all in place now, hopefully, we won’t get another frost for several more weeks, and that by then, the rest of our surviving summer crops will finally be done producing so we won’t have to go through all of those antics again. Some years, it seems like it’s more challenging to farm in the winter than in the summer with covering and uncovering for weather changes. But most of the true winter crops don't need to be covered unless it's going to get really, really cold for a long time. And most years, that doesn’t happen but about 2 times all winter, if that. Thankfully. 

Because wrestling with a 100' x 12' frost cloth and equally sized piece of plastic in the wind, is about like trying to hang onto the Jolly Green Giant's parachute! And it seems like it's always windy the day before the freeze when you're trying to secure everything. It’s only calm when the cold settles in – and by then, it’s too late. 

I hope you were able to protect your gardens/farms, too. Now, go git yer hands in the dirt! There’s still lots of time left to plant things for winter and early spring.

Marie

Eat Your Food - Naturally!

CSA and Its Roll in Local Food

This week, Eden’s Garden CSA Farm was recognized as one of the two top CSA programs in the metroplex by the Dallas Observer. I honestly didn’t even know it was a category – much less that we were in the running to win! It was late one afternoon when I found out that we had been voted BEST CSA in a tie with another farm from Pittsburg, TX, Comeback Creek. I’ve known the owner of that farm for several years and he’s got a great operation out there in the woods. I’ve learned a tip or two from him over the years, helped sell some of his produce at my market and even remember when he was supplementing his farm income by making dairy deliveries for a former local dairy producer. There are a handful of other very deserving farms who operate small CSA programs in the area, too, I wish they'd have mentioned them all. Many are friends of mine, all are considered mentors in one way or another. 

In the DO story about the award we were given, the author uses the term "co op" interchangeably with the category of the award, CSA. One of the chefs who buys from both of our farms, Mark of Garden Cafe, was quick to comment on the story about there being an important difference between food co op programs and CSA programs. I was grateful for the call out. Sadly, not a lot of people know the differences that distinguish the two types of ways to get food to your plate. Even sadder still, a lot of people apparently don’t know the difference between a farmer and a food distributor. (In the same “BEST OF” issue, the reader’s choice awards gave “Best Local Farmer” to a food co op delivery program instead of an actual local farmer.)

So Let Me Try To Clarify the Differences Without Sounding Like I'm Putting Anything Else Down

As I noted in my reply to Mark's comment on the original story; "There are several ways to support small, local farms and CSA is the most direct, and probably one of the most important ways, because small farms can not compete on a wholesale level with mid size or large farms." In order for a farm to sell on the large scale for a co op or wholesaler to make anything re-selling the product, the farmer needs to be able to sell twice as much, or more, in order to make the same profit margin as if he'd sold it directly at retail price. Or, often times, they are taking a loss, just to get rid of a bumper crop of something that did well for them, so the food doesn't go to waste. That's like the farmer working 10 acres of land, and getting paid for working half of them. Try that this week at your job.

A CSA program is a direct and important relationship between the farmer and the end user of their crops – the eaters in the community where the farm is located. Or in most cases, at least not too far away; usually within 100 miles at the most. Otherwise, it’s not likely going to be economically feasible for the grower or the consumer - or very green unless everyone is driving a Prius. And ideally, you have weekly contact with the farmer who brings the shares into town once a week, or in many cases, you go out to the farm itself to get your shares.

In either scenario, one of the sweet benefits of supporting a small, local farm through CSA, is that there’s a real connection to your food’s birthplace and those who grow it for you. It’s not a relationship with your supermarket produce manager, or a dealer at a market stand or some other third party who pays for the produce as they pick it up and then re-sells it to you – often for twice what they paid the farmer.

In a CSA, you have pledged your support to the farmer for the upcoming season’s harvest in advance – come grasshoppers or high water – and the farmer relies on that pledge (of money or in some cases labor), to give them some sense of peace of mind about being able to go about their daily work to get good food on your plate - and not worry if those grasshoppers or that high water do come that they’ll lose everything to the banker. Whew! The banker is someone they’d usually like to have less of a relationship with than those who are going to appreciate the food they grow. Someone who visits the farm regularly also tends to be more understanding when a hail storm kills the entire garden of young seedlings and its too late to replant certain things – or that the harvest will be late and sparse. You share the risks with the farmer. CSA programs help stabilize an unstable and unpredictable seasonal budget for the farm.

Eden’s Garden CSA Farm is a bit unique in its CSA program in many ways. Not only are we a short 15-30 minute drive from just about anywhere within the I635 loop and you don’t have to drive down a muddy dirt road to find us, but our CSA members can easily come out to the farm and pick their own goodies when they want to. On weeks we’re not making a regular distribution, or if say they are having company and need some extra greens that week, we’ll meet them in the garden and show them where and how to pick what they need. Additionally, some of our members bring their kids out for picnics or school trips – gratis, and they enjoy the benefit of a nice discount at various classes we offer and in the organic garden shop on the property where they can get advice as well as home gardening needs when they shop during our on-farm market days twice a month. This is a time when other farmers who also follow organic methods, show up at the farm and sell their wares. We’re as close to a one stop shop as a farm can be and "mi farm es su farm" - so to speak, anyway. I want my members to feel at home and welcome down on this farm.

Even with the members as in touch with their farm as ours are; I, as well as other CSA farmers, still carry the farm challenges of paying the bills, making the repairs, planning the season’s crops, working the fields, feeding the critters, speaking out against and watching for stray mosquito spraying foggers in the dead of night, fighting off ridiculous city code enforcements, fighting potential water pollution issues, stressing out about pending legislation in both Austin and DC that could render what we do for a living as basically a danger to society and shut us down, guide city folks through the farm for a tour, trying to attract new customers, watch fire ants eat our lettuce seeds, as well as do laundry, eat the occasional meal, and watch a sunrise or sunset in awe of all that still needs to be done in order to keep a place going. It’s not that much unlike what most small business owners experience I suspect – except that a farmer does it outside in the fresh air, 365 days a year, and if we don’t do it well, our customers don’t get their food. At least, they don’t get fresh, organic and local food.

And to me, that’s mostly what this is all about.Getting really good food to people who desire it, at a price they can actually afford it, in a way they can really grow to appreciate it, while not going broke or crazy in the process. 

Farmers are just as deserving of a slice of the American dream as anyone else, yet, the product they sell is seen as something that should be made available to the consumer as cheaply as possible.

Finding a way to make a respectable and halfway decent living, afford health care when needed, or even take an occasional vacation, is as important to the well being of anyone who lives, as it is to a farmer. Farmers are generally very loyal, hard working, smart, forward thinking, big picture seeing kinds of folk, who think nothing of driving out to another farmer’s place and helping them with a project or solving a problem or picking up extra supplies and dropping them off when they’re coming through town. I have yet to meet a small farmer who I didn’t like.We generally work in cooperation with each other, as opposed to in competition with one another, even swapping out bumper crop items, extra canning jars, advice and tips. Many farmers I know offer low cost or free classes - to new upcoming farmers! There's plenty to go around, and the more the merrier. Sowing the seeds of respect and profitability for this profession, are what will help secure a future of new farmers through various training programs our farm and others are implementing.

Farmers are just as deserving of a slice of the American dream as anyone else, yet, the product they sell is seen as something that should be made available to the consumer as cheaply as possible - often, more cheaply than it costs to produce it. When was the last time your electricity company undersold their product? Your gas? Your telephone bill? Your new car?

But I learned that we can all do our part to show respect and support to the local farmers who bring a slice of the real world to our communities.

Why is it that the basic need in life, nutrition, is expected to be the cheapest part of our budget? Think about that for a bit. Without food – your phone will not get answered, by you anyway. And without nutritious food, you won’t be driving a car, you’ll be sickly and likely in a hospital bed watching others drive around in theirs.

I love the quote below by farmer Tom Willey. It puts into perspective what it took me a long time myself to realize, as I was not born into a farming family. I grew up shopping at the grocery store like most other people in this country. But I learned that we can all do our part to show respect and support to the local farmers who bring a slice of the real world to our communities. Whether it is through a CSA program, buying from a farmer at their market stand each week, rolling up your sleeves and volunteering when a farmer may need it, or writing a check to support a specific project; small farms are a true asset to you, your family and the communities they serve. And just like I advocate supporting any other small, independently owned business as much as possible, the same holds true in where I think we should first turn for at least some of our in-season food. Big ag has its place, otherwise where would we get our hearts’ desires of things we can’t grow here in N. Texas. But small ag, even micro farming, has an important part in the place of its' community.  I hope you’ll reach out and shake a hand that feeds you soon.

"We must consider it a scientific fact that you are what you eat. The same molecules that make up the food we consume become the molecules of our minds and bodies. So, unless you are your own farmer, you should choose one as carefully as you would chose your doctor or your pastor. Therefore, it is fitting that farmers, like doctors, lawyers, professors, and pastors, should command a high level of respect and income, commensurate with this level of responsibility. I consider it an honor and a privilege that you have chosen me to be your farmer." Tom Willey of T&D Willey Farms 

 




Marie

Put Your Money Where the Farm Is &
Eat Your Food - Naturally!